Heaven's Gate (1980) - The wrong film, at the wrong time

Time is a big theme of Heaven’s Gate.
The duration of the film, the time period it’s set in, and the time it was released.
All seemed to conspire against the film, leaving it a film lost in time.

Looking at it now, it’s clear that more time should be spent watching it, and not letting it remain known only for the downfall of a movie studio.

It’s easy to say that this film should be shorter; it is true that it would benefit greatly from some scenes being trimmed here and there, and perhaps explore if some scenes could be cut altogether. Aside from the slow pace, though, this film is a triumph. And it’s a crime that it’s been buried by its initial poor reviews, which kept audiences away.

A film that seemingly had everything going against it, from a commercial point of view, it never stood a chance in 1980, but with the distance of time and cultural shifts, the film feels all the more relevant now, 45 years later.

A film that challenges American mythology was always going to be a hard sell, especially after the post-Vietnam era of filmmaking had left audiences weary and wanting more optimistic stories. The pacing of scenes, overall length of the film and languid narrative structure, was also far from the zeitgeist of current Hollywood cinema of Superman, Star Wars and Rocky. Finally, the perception of an indulgent director, wantonly spending millions of dollars, was driven by critics, which further kept audiences away.

Looking at the film now, as Cimino & Kristofferson state on the Criterion Blu-ray (which has a great 30-minute feature that serves as a mini director's commentary), it’s a film that expresses how America cares more about money than it does people. Politically in America, and arguably in many other countries (UK, I’m looking at you), this has never been truer. And the objective ability to watch the film without the commercial expectation of a blockbuster sci-fi movie, and a recent trend (since the 2010’s) of more Westerns being released in film & television, it feels current.

What doesn’t feel current is the way the spectacles was created. There’s no way this film would be made like this today. The sheer scale of extras in the film, whether the initial scenes at Harvard (with Oxford University doubling as 1870 Harvard), the roller skate dance party and the final epic battle scenes. Each extra was personally cast by Cimino with Polaroids and costumes of each used to place them in scenes. The direction of the extras is also impressive (I’ve always said that you can judge a great director by the way the extras act in their films), and every single extra in this film is ‘on’. They are living in this world and delivering real micro performances that make every scene feel real.

Only watching the Criterion Blu-ray did I learn that Cimino had Michael Stevenson, a revered 2nd Unit Director and seeming crowd specialist who had previously worked on Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago, Ryan’s Daughter and Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon and The Shining.

Michael Stevenson, pictured on The Shining set

Cimino also states how the period props, like the horse carriages, would literally not be possible to be made today; they had found an original carriage in a barn, and had it restored to its original working glory. Today, the craftspeople are either in short supply or not there at all.

The photography is stunning, and famed DoP Vilmos Zsigmond, shows his worth yet again. It’s interesting in recent times how digital cinematography and grading are trying to emulate film by not only tweaking colours, but also adding grade and halation. This film has it in buckets, and it’s all real. I think the initial release was also criticised by its almost sepia appearance in the grade, but on the new release (approved by Cimino) they pulled this away to reveal the natural colours of the beautiful American vistas.

It’s a film that deserves far more attention and airtime. Whilst it’s not readily available, and with a run time that is not a million miles from The Brutalist or Oppenheimer, audiences have shown they can in fact hack this (although the pacing is no match for either of those films). If you can see it, watch it, and tell your friends to do the same. Such a shame it robbed Cimino (and us) of more films.

HULK (2003) - No longer a guilty pleasure

I loved this when it first came out, but it was always a bit of a guilty pleasure (I wrote a short piece ten years ago saying just that). As time has passed, and with a recent 4K rewatch, the film boasts a level of craft and emotion sorely lacking in the latest MCU and DCEU output, let alone other Hollywood/streaming fare.  

What some felt was a hokey literal interpretation, with a full lean into the comic book panels/split-screen aesthetic, I was always a huge fan of that and referenced it many times in my own creative work whenever split-screen was required.

Looking now with (partially) fresh eyes, all those dissolves, wipes, split screens, and split diopter shots all make for a dazzlingly engaging piece of cinema. It is so visually clear in its narration of the story, you can watch it silently and still track the key plot points with ease. 

As you age, you eventually learn to stop caring about trying to fit in with groupthink and get more comfortable with your own opinions. With art, you should go more with your gut and stand proud with what gives you pleasure, regardless of whether the crowd does or doesn't like it.

Freed of my totally self-imposed shackles of being in my own closet about the film, HULK is premium pulp cinema that expertly weaves in much deeper themes of family, succession and emotional trauma. It features one of the gruffest performances of Nolte put to film, which is worth the entrance fee alone. 

Other highlights - Josh Lucas refining his onscreen shitheel persona, Sam Elliot growling under that tash, Jennifer Connelly looking lovingly into various microscopes, Eric Bana looking confused for the majority of the film, the various Zen-HULK moments like staring lovingly at bushes and leaping vast distances whilst enjoying the wind on his brow, and proper cinematography where you can actually see the story being told visually.

The 4K release is impeccable too, a fine example of the format, heavily recommended if you have the setup. HULK remains a must-watch for those who haven't seen it, and well worth a rewatch if you haven't seen it in some time. 

*As an aside, HULK’s incredible title sequence, detailed wonderfully by Art of the Title, shares some aesthetic (and tonal) similarities with the Safdies’ Uncut Gems title sequence, as we travel through the 5,000-carat opal up and out of Howard Ratner’s ass.

Magnum Force (1973) - A sequel in conversation with Dirty Harry

Rewatched 21 Dec 2023 - Originally written on Letterboxd

This review may contain spoilers.

Magnum Force needs to be reappraised as one of the better sequels in cinema.
Like ‘Dirty Harry’, it doesn’t have the mainstream audience exposure/deference it should.

To follow up the iconic 'Dirty Harry' in a way that doesn’t just pit Harry against another psycho, which many sequels would’ve by just rehashing the original, but instead, ask a question.

What if there was something more extreme than Dirty Harry in a police force?

Many have compared the character and plot of Dirty Harry to Batman in ‘The Dark Knight’, but ‘Magnum Force’ investigates the concept of escalation more clearly.
In ‘The Dark Knight’, the fact Batman exists leads to the Joker being mythically spawned in Gotham. Here ‘Magnum Force’ shows what happens in a police force where Harry’s attitude and actions inspire a more extreme variant, true vigilantism, where even when criminals are going about their day are murdered and even investigating police officers who are witness to this are slain without remorse.

As Harry describes, "...there may be a sub-organization within the police force. Sort of a death squad like they had in Brazil some years back."

“I’m afraid you’ve misjudged me”

It's a fascinating way to express to the audience that Harry has a line and isn't just looking through a phone book to pick his next victim, like Hal Holbrook's Lieutenant Briggs’ death squad seems to be doing. Harry is human, even though he has an almost single-minded life, solely focused on his detective work. The film feels in conversation with the initial criticism that ‘Dirty Harry’ was a fascistic ideal, ‘Magnum Force’ directly addresses this, almost as if the writer, known gun-toter, John Milius, wanted anyone who considered Harry Callahan as a prototype Judge Dredd; judge, jury, executioner as someone more like the lawmen in Westerns, like Gary Cooper’s Marshal Will Kane in ‘High Noon’.

Whilst the film doesn't reach the stylistic integrity and bravura of the original, ‘Magnum Force’ has so many great moments, lines and performances that upon a rewatch make you appreciate its artistic and entertainment value nonetheless. As the Dirty Harry series developed with three more sequels, the artistic sincerity gets diluted with each part and almost becomes a parody of itself at times, but ‘Magnum Force’ stands on its own merit and reflects not just the culture of America at the time but of its own mythology.

NCIS: HAWAII - Season 2 Promo

Promo for Paramount/5USA, driving interest for the final seven episodes of the second season, airing through July/August/September 2025.

My approach was to ensure that the briefed aspects were met, showcasing some of Hawaii's beautiful locations, the team dynamics, the action and suspense, while bringing a cinematic feeling to the show.

The use of music helped build a suspenseful start to the promo, with a nod to some local instruments.
As the action begins, we transition to a Zimmer-esque driving track that ramps up the tension to the end.

A potent piece of dialogue from Ernie Malik (played by the great Jason Antoon - remember him from the brilliant Cyber Parlour scene in Minority Report?!), served as a strong way to frame the action sequences and provide some mystery to the storylines of these final episodes.

“Skullduggery. Chicanery. Deception. Spycraft, my friends. We’re through the looking glass.”

The 20 second edit, focuses on the final action section of the 40 second cut.

Star Wars x Top Gun: Maverick

If you haven’t noticed already (or missed the hundreds of mentions online about it),
Top Gun: Maverick takes on some elements similar to Star Wars (Episode IV). 

The canyon mission, especially, mirrors much of the trench run from Star Wars, in addition to talking to ghosts of the past, learning to feel, not think, and the hero’s journey are themes shared across the two films.